This invention relates to fuel pumps and, more particularly, to a crashworthy fuel pump capable of withstanding extreme forces such as occur during a crash without leaking fuel.
Because of their location in the engine compartment of an automobile, fuel pumps are susceptible to damage during a crash as the result of being struck by debris flying about in the compartment. As a consequence, fuel leaks from the pump may occur. The presence of gasoline in the engine compartment due to a broken fuel pump creates a great risk of fire and potential harm to both the vehicle and its occupants.
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 30 was issued in an attempt to reduce the hazards attendant the location of the fuel pump in the engine compartment by requiring that the risk of damage to a fuel pump during a crash be minimized. To comply with this standard, various schemes have been proposed to shield the fuel pump or otherwise protect it from flying debris. However, these protective shields add weight to the vehicle, may be difficult to fit into already crowded engine compartments, and may not always prevent an object from striking a fuel pump.